The California Golden Bears will host the Clemson Tigers on Friday night at their home, California Memorial Stadium, in Berkeley.
Below, I'll briefly touch upon both teams and further highlight a "same-game parlay" (SGP) betting angle that you can take when wagering on Friday’s game under the lights.
So, here are my California vs. Clemson picks and college football parlay for Friday, September 25. For more college football picks and analysis for Week 4, download the Action Network app today.
California vs. Clemson Picks, Parlay
- Clemson vs. Cal Alt Under 55.5 Points (-205)
- Ian Strong Alt 50+ Receiving Yards (-255)
Parlay Odds: +110 (DraftKings)
Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page, and download the Action Network app for more picks and analysis.
California vs. Clemson Odds
| Clemson Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -118 | 50.5 -110o / -110u | -112 |
| California Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -102 | 50.5 -110o / -110u | -108 |
Over/Under Pick: Alt. Under 55.5 (-205)
First, I favor backing less than 55.5 points scored — an alternate total that carries -205 juice.
We're far removed from Clemson’s glory days, defined by its status as a premier program in college football that led the Tigers to two National Championships under head coach Dabo Swinney.
Despite Swinney actually having recruited fairly well over the last several seasons, Clemson has made just one postseason appearance in the last five years.
While Clemson has remained a recruiting powerhouse, the Tigers have failed to develop highly touted prospects adequately, with QBs such as Cade Klubnik and DJ Uiagalelei failing tremendously.
True freshman dual-threat QB Tait Reynolds appears to have continued the Tigers’ curse at the QB position, with the four-star prospect posting a dreadful 27.8 QBR over his first three games under center.
Though the Tigers were victorious in their first two contests, Swinney's bunch played at home versus two underwhelming defensive units in Georgia Southern and North Carolina.
Like Clemson, California’s offensive efficiency has been quite stagnant, as well.
Though Cal QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele has looked impressive up to this point, leading the Bears to 49 points of offense last weekend, the team’s offensive explosion came versus an FCS opponent in Wagner.
Also, the Tigers boast a high-caliber defense led by DE Will Heldt and LB Sammy Brown, amongst several others who should present a difficult challenge for Sagapolutele.
The under 55.5 points scored on Friday night should provide our SGP with a solid foundation to build upon.
Cal Player Prop: Ian Strong 50+ Receiving Yards (-255)
If you've read any of my previous SGP segments, you would know I typically favor pairing two negatively correlated wagers given the odds magnification that results from the inverse relationship between the two parlay legs.
In this case, I feel great pairing Cal WR Ian Strong to record at least 50 receiving yards in order to achieve our goal of an odds boost via the inverse relationship with the game total under.
The former Rutgers wideout has exceeded 50 yards in two of his first three games with the Golden Bears and has already established a rapport with Sagapolutele.
The Hawaiian has already connected with Strong for 206 yards this season, and I'm expecting more of the same on Friday night in a matchup that should be very closely contested down the stretch.
California vs. Clemson Same-Game Parlay
- Clemson vs. California alt Under 55.5 Points (-205)
- Ian Strong alt 50+ Receiving Yards (-255)
Parlay Odds: +110 (DraftKings)
For more college football picks and analysis, be sure to download the Action Network app today!
